How it’s made: Our behind the scenes process…

October 26, 2025

Behind the Build: How M2 Crafts Custom Solid Wood Tables

by Matt Morgan in Learn More

Behind the Build: How a Table Comes Together

At M2 Furniture Co., every piece of furniture is the product of equal parts skill, precision, and professional equipment. We don’t just make tables—we engineer them. From board selection to the last coat of finish, each step is intentional and executed with the right tools for the job.

Step 1: Design & Planning

Before the first board is cut, we start with a plan. Using computer-aided design (CAD) software, we create accurate layouts and technical drawings that define dimensions, joinery, and proportions. CAD allows us to visualize the entire build and confirm the structure before we begin, ensuring the final product meets every customer’s expectation.

This upfront planning makes the build more efficient and precise, ensuring your custom dining table is beautiful, functional, and built to last. Here is a quick video below as live demonstration building a 3D model of a simple bench...

CAD design ensures accurate proportions, structure, and balance before we begin building.

Step 2: Material Selection

Material selection is one of the most important stages in the build process—where craftsmanship and artistry meet. We hand-select every board based on grain direction, color tone, and figure to achieve visual balance and symmetry. Humans are naturally drawn to symmetry, so a tabletop with mirrored grain and balanced tone feels harmonious and refined.

For many projects, we use lumber from our own Tree-to-Table process—wood we’ve milled and kiln-dried right here in the Upstate. That gives us complete control over quality, consistency, and sustainability from log to finished piece.

We arrange boards for balanced color and grain flow before milling and assembly.

Step 3: Milling & Surfacing

This is where rough lumber becomes precision material. We start with our industrial jointer, which flattens one face and creates a perfectly straight, square edge that’s exactly 90° to the face. This step is what allows us to achieve tight, seamless glue joints that stay together for life.

Next, the boards move through our industrial planer, which makes the opposite face parallel and ensures every board is the same thickness. Both tools are equipped with helical cutterheads—rows of carbide inserts that shear wood fibers cleanly for an ultra-smooth finish with minimal tear-out, even on complex grain.

Running a Big beam across the Jointer...

Our industrial jointer and planer ensure perfectly flat faces and square edges for flawless glue joints.

Step 4: Joinery & Assembly

Once the boards are milled and surfaced, we move into assembly. For tabletops, this means carefully jointing and gluing edges together to form one continuous surface with nearly invisible seams.

For bases, casework, and other complex builds, we use a mix of Festool Domino joinery, traditional mortise-and-tenon construction, and heavy-duty connection hardware. The hardware allows large tables to be strong, yet easy to disassemble and reassemble on site without sacrificing strength or quality. When needed, we use our CNC router for precision templates and complex shapes.

Assembling our Finn Table Base using solid wood Joinery...

Step 5: Sanding & Surface Refinement

After assembly, every surface is sanded through multiple grits for a consistent, silky-smooth texture. We use professional dust collection systems to maintain a clean environment, ensuring no debris interferes with the finish. This step brings out the tactile quality of the wood—smooth to the touch, crisp at the edges, and ready for finish.

Step 6: Finishing

Our finishing process is one of the most important steps in creating a lasting, professional-grade surface. We use spray equipment designed for high-performance finishes that deliver outstanding clarity, protection, and depth. These finishes cure quickly and evenly, giving your furniture a smooth, durable feel that you simply can’t achieve with brush-on or wipe-on coatings.

For customers who prefer a softer, more natural sheen, we also offer oil-based finishes that highlight the natural grain of the wood—perfect for mantles, shelves, and low-wear pieces. Read more about finish options in our Finishing 101 Blog.

Spraying Clear Finish on a Monkey Pod Tabletop...

Our spray finishing systems create a smooth, durable surface that enhances the wood’s natural character.

Step 7: Final Inspection & Delivery

Before any piece leaves our shop, it goes through a detailed inspection. We check for color consistency, flatness, joinery alignment, and finish quality. Only when everything meets our standards do we move the piece to delivery—carefully wrapped, transported, and set up exactly as intended.